The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939)(about) |
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Saturday 25 August 1888
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Current News.
BY TELEGRAPH AND OTHERWISE.
A Masonic lodge has been opened at the Albion, a suburb of Brisbane. The B.I.S.N. Company's R.M.S. Dorunda, from Brisbane 10th July, left Port Said on
Monday last for London two days in advance of contract time. Mr. Wm. Westgarth, the well-known London financier, at present on a visit to the Australian colonies after an absence of about forty years, is now in Brisbane and the guest of the Hon. J. C. Heusaler, M.L.O. The deaths i n the Dun wich Benevolent Asylum during the week ending the 18th instant were those of Elias Watkins, 65, admitted 11th October, 1887; and Jane Richards, 75; ad mitted 2nd September, 1881. The Commissioner of Police has received a telegram from Taroom stating that a man named Frederick Jacobs went away into the bush on the 16th instant suffering from delirium tremeus. The police and a search party were out all day and found Jacobs about three miles from Taroom hanging to the bough of a tree. An inquiry will be held. It is understood in political circles that the present session is to be a comparatively Bhort one, and that the middle of October will at the latest see the Houses rise for the recess. The Railway Bill, which is the first business for consideration on Tuesday, and the financial proposals of the Government will be the lead ing features of the session. Mr. Frank Taylor, the head clerk in the orphanages branch of the Department of Public Instruction, whose services the Civil Service Commission recommended should be dispensed with, handed in his resignation on Monday to the Minister, tho Hon. John Donaldson, together with sorao documents in answer to the ohargos preferred against him. Two serious accidents occurred at Bundaberg early last week. Thomas Leather, a resident of Moolboolaman, was thrown from his horse near Bingera plantation, and was taken to the local hospital with a broken leg. Charles Dettrick, a young man living near Gin Gin Creek, also broke his leg on the same evening whilst out kangaroo shooting, and was received into the same institution. Our Cooktown correspondent wires, pointing out an error in the telegram describing the pro ceedings at the inquiry into the fire on Messrs. Thomas andMadden'spremises, published on the 18th instant. The message should read—'' The evidence was voluminous, and showed that every light had been carefully put out on the night in question by the employe who was last on the premises. Mr. Madden stated that he believed the fire was the work of an incen diary.'* Mr. Saville-Kent, F.L.S., naturalist and fisheries expert, has arrived in Brisbane en route for Port Darwin, whither he proceds on the in vitation of Captain the Hon. F. C. Veroher and other officers, to join H.M.S. Myrmidon, now on survey duty in that neighbourhood. Mr. Saville-Kent brings with him dredges, trawls, and fishing gear of a varied description for the purpose of systematically investigating the fish and marine fauna generally of this district from both a commercial and scientific stand point. The Rev. J. Maopherson, of the Dunwioh and St. Helena Mission, paid a visit to St. Helena on Thursday week, and returned on Tuesday to Brisbane. At suitable times the hospital and yards in the stockade and warders' cottages were visited. On Sunday two services were held with the prisoners in the large workroom, and these were well attended. In the afternoon an address on the words, •' The Lord looseth tho prisoners" was listened to with deep interest, after which prayer was offered by some of the prisoners m a devout manner. The prisoners' choir, assisted by the harmonium, led the singing. The service for the children in the schoolroom was well attended, and very enjoyable. In the evening divine service was held in the schoolroom with the warders and their families. The numerous friends of the young man William Johnstone, who met with an accident on the racecourse on Saturday week when riding his own horse Hubert in the Hurdle Race, will regret to hear of his untimely death, which took place at the Brisbane Hospital at 9 a.m. yesterday week. As a result of the accident Johnstono had the thumb of his left band fractured bo severely that half of the knuckle had to be cut away, and during the week he suffered excruciating pain. On Thurs day he was muoh better, and on Friday morn ing he thought that the worstof his trouble was over. Only two hours or so later, however, symptoms of tetanus set in, and he had to be taken to the hospital, where, after two days of spasmodic agony, he succumbed. Johnstone was much liked and respected, both in Brisbane and in the Western districts, whete during a short stay he made many friends. His horse, Hubert, won the Handicap Hurdle Race at Eagle Farm on Saturday, and it had been his in tention to take him onto the Southern colonies, and race him there. The following gentlemen have been appointed by the Governor- in-Council to bo members of the Legislative Council: —J. Thorneloo Smith, James Lalor, and John Scott. Mr. Thorneloe Smith is well known as having been for a long while in the railway service, having been As sistant Chief Engineer for Railways and Acting Chief Engineer during the absence of Mr. Stanley. Mr. Lalor was born in Queon'sCounty, Ireland, on 7th July, 1829. He arrived in Australia in 1840, and engaged in pastoral pursuits in New South Wales, and afterwards in this colony. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly in the lato Parliament. Mr. Scott was born on the 20th June, 1821, at Edinburgh. He arrived in the oolony in 1843, and engaged in pastoral pursuits. Air. Scott was returned as member for Clermont in June, 1868. In September, 1870, he was returned for the Leionhardt, and a second time in August, 1871. He was elected for Springsure in November, 1873; again for Leionhardt in November, 1878, and August, 1883. He was Chairman of Committees in the Legistative Assembly from November, 1871, to January, 1874, and from January, 1879. to the end of July, 1883.
The manufacture of washing soda has been commenced at Townsville. The construction of the Hawkeskury Itiyer bridge ia progressing satisfactorily. The third span was successfully placed in position on the piers yesterday week. At a meeting of the Executive Council held on Thursday to consider tho case of the aboriginal George, who was sentenced to death at Roma on the Ist instant for a criminal assault on a woman named Margarot Sims, tho sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life. The body of tho young man Sl'Carllvy, who was drowned in the vioinity of the Seveuteen mile Rocks on tho loth instant, was found on Tuesday last about a mile from where he fell in. Deceased was 22 years of age and un married. The dramatic company whioh, under the management of Miss Marian Willis, has been performing at the Theatre Royal for the last three or four weeks, brought its season to a close on Saturday evening, when the favourite drama of " Rob Roy" was performed. The sub-inspector of police at Georgetown has wired to the Commissioner of Police to the effect that a carrier named James Walsh shot a carter named Owen Kilday, on the night of the 13th instant, at Georgetown. It seems that a row occurred over an old debt, and Walsh got a revolver and shot Kilday through the head. Walsh has been arrested, and is now in custody. His Excellency Dr. Macgrogor, Governor of Now Guinea, who has been staying at Govern ment House during his visit to Brisbane, will leave by the Maranoa to-day (Saturday) forCook town, where a vessel of the Australian squadron is to be in readiness to take him across to Port Moresby. He hopes to be able to proclaim her Majesty's sovereignty over British New Guinea not later than 6th September. The following persons have been adjudicated insolvent during the -week:—Henry Lewis Smith, horse-trainer, of Bundanba; Wm. Edmonds, carpenter, of Ipswioh; Georgo Henry Bennett, hawker and storekeeper, of Croydon ; Matthew Ballinger, of Yeppoon, butoher and storekeeper ; Levi Dell, of Nerang, publican ; William gcheoning, tea merchant; James Henry Pepperell, labourer, of the Thompson Estate; Thomas Puroell, storekeeper, of Talle budgera. Our Laidley correspondent, writing on the 20th instant, sayß:—The old police barracks and lockup were completely destroyed by fire yesterday. The property belonged to Mr. August Geisemann, and was rented to a young man whose name I have not been able to ascer tain. It appears the chimney was very foul, and about 3 p.m. it took fire. The shingles being very old and dry, and there being rather a strong breeze blowing at the time, it was utterly impossible to save the building, but mo3t of the contents were saved. The town clerk has received from the secre tary of the Centennial Celebration Committee one of the centennial medals struok to oomrae morate the completion of the first 100 years of Australian settlement. The medal is in bronze. On ono side Britannia is represented as the same figure appears upon a penny piece. Above this are the letters "G.R." on either side of a crown, and beneath "January 20, 1788," while on the other side is a representation of the Australian flag, sur rounded by a wreath. Over the top of the wreath are the letters "V.R." in monogram, and at tiio bottom " 1888." Round this side of the medal are the words " Orta recena guam pura nites." The medal is enclosed in a morocco case, with a lining of blue plush, and on the lid is inscribed "To the Municipal Council of the City of Brisbane." Mr. F. Mao Donnell received by Monday's mail a letter from Mr. T. Harrington, M.P., hon. secretary of the Irish National League, acknowledging receipt of a draft for £200 for warded from Brisbane in May last in aid of the Irish Evicted Tenants' Fund. He writes— " Kindly accept our warmest thanks for the generous gift of the inhabitants of Brisbane, and for the eloquent words of encouragement in your letter. lam glad to be able to inform you that at no time in the present struggle have we had occasion to be more hopeful of success than at the present. The Irisn cause is now the cause of the Liberal party in England, and this is being demonstrated at every bye-election that takes place," &c, &c. The committee in Brisbane are intending to send another draft at an early date. A telegram has been received by the Depart ment of Mines from Commissioner Zillman, of Herberton, stating that Mr. Moffat had reported the discovery of copper Ore in payable quantities on Chilligoe Creek, Walsh River, forty miles west of Thornborough and seventy from Her berton. Mr. ZiUman intends to proceed to the ground on th« 27th instant. In another telegram Mr. Zillman reports that he has completed the patrol of tho Russell and Mul grave goldfields and restricted the Chinese on the former field to the area below Cave Creek, and the European miners express themselves satisfied at this step having being taken. Mr. Zillman's visit to these fields was made in consequence of a complaint having recently been made to the Minister for Mines that the Chinese had gone six miles further up the Russell River than they were entitled to. Mr. Zillman was therefore instructed to limit them to the smallest possible arcs'. The communication referred to by the Premier in the House last week as having been received from the Bank of Eng land was, it is understood, in the form of a letter from the Agent-General. Mr. Archer, we understand, states that in an inter view on the question of the new loan the governor of the bank expressed himself some what strongly on the rapidly-increasing debt of Queensland and the position of the bank in connection with it. The governor of the bank, it is stated, represented to the Agent- General the desirableness of discontinuing the loans, which had been placed on the market at such short intervals, and further intimated that if it were not done it would be necessary for the bank to take steps to rid itself of its responsibility. These opinions were apparently endorsed by the whole board and the deputy governor, who was present during the inter view. It was also mentioned that the dobt per head of Queensland was higher than that of any other colony—even New Zealand.
The GoTernment of New South Wales pro pose to. establish an Agricultural College at Rookwood, near Sydney. A miner named Edward Murphy, engaged at the Alexandra mine, Charters Towers, fell down an old shaft whilst on his way home last week and injured his spine very severely. The Jungfrau Kapelle Swiss Mountain Singers, after a very successful tour through Northern Queensland, will open for a short season at the Theatre Royal on Monday next. John James Carthens, storekeeper, of Cairns, has ulou a petition for the liquidation oi his estate by arrangement or composition with his creditors. The total liabilities amount to £1700, and the principal creditors are Benjamin Bros., £514, and A. S. Leslie, £628. The Works Department havo accepted the tender of F. Williams. £1059, for the erection of a new ward, a bakehouse, aud ovena at the Dunwich Asylum. A tender for the ereotion of a new hospital at Gympie has also been ac cepted by tho department, the contract price being £5040 10s., of which £1980 3s. 4d. has been contributed by the local committee. The first number of the Warwick Nationalist Gazette, a tri-weekly evening paper conduoted by Mr. F. H. Dodgson, late of the Border Post, was published on the 15th instant. It is of the ordinary double-demy size, four pages, and is well and neatly printed. It starts with a very fair show of advertisements, and on the whole makes a very presentablo appearance. The Commissioner of Police has received a telegram from Taroom stating that a man named John Sullivan, who was arrested for vagrancy, has made and signed a statement before the police-magistrate to the effect that he murdered a man named William Shuning, a carpenter, on Meteor Downs station, in the Springsuro police district, about twelve years ago. Sullivan has been remanded in order that inquiries may be made. Four tenders have been received by the Government for 17,600 ft. of boring iv connec tion with the search for artesian water in various parts of the colony. The boring will be let in two contraots, one of 10,000 ft. and the other of 7500 ft. The depth of each bore is limited to 2500 ft., but should water bo struck at about 500 ft. the present contracts would enable thirty-five bores to be made. An interesting ceremony will tako place at the North Fine this afternoon, when Lady Musgrave will lay the corner block of a new Church of England for that district. A number of clergy and others interested in the work of Church extension hare been invited to be present, and the address at the service will be given by tho Yen. Arohdeaoon Dawes. The site upon which the proposed church is to Btand is the gift of two of the residents of the district, Mr. Stephen Lawn and Mr. J. Twible. The following lands will be thrown open for selection on the Ist October. Under the 44th section of the Land Act of 1884 : —Hnghenden district: Grazing farm, 3200 aores, parish of Hughenden, on the resumed portion of the Hughcnden run. Townsville district: Two grazing farms of about 5800 acres each, on the resumed portion of the Woodstock run, parish of Woodstock. Dalby district: Five grazing farms, three of 25G0 acres and two of 2000 acres, on the resumed portion of the Chinchilla run, in the parish of the same name. Been leigh district: Three agricultural farms, 180 acres, 195 acres, and 200 acres respectively. Thero are also six surveyed agricultural farms of 160 aores each open for selection in the Mourilyan district (office, Geraldton), and several forfeited farms in the Ipswich, Mackay, Rookhampton, Springsure, ana Warwick dis tricts. The following are the names of the persons who died in the Brisbane Hospital daring the past fortnight:—Priscilla Symes, aged 45, admitted 6th February, died 20th July; Annie M. Woodward, aged 20, ad mitted 23rd July, died 29th July; John Smith, aged 49, admitted 28th July, died 30th July; Daniel Niooll, aged 51, admitted 2nd July, died 30th July; Mary Ann Hopwood, aged 33, admitted 17th July, died 3let July ; Norah Clifford, aged 26, admitted 27th July, died 2nd August; Garret Byrnes, aged 35, admitted 2nd August, died 3rd August; W. H. Roberts, aged 64, admitted 30th July, died 4th August; G. W. Copping, aged 28, admitted 14th July, died Bth August; George Sicvers, aged 26, admitted 6th August, died Bth August; Julia Cashman, aged 38, admitted 3rd August, died 11th August; Noke mar (5.5.1.), aged 26, admitted 31st July, died 12th August; Mary E. Walker, aged 44, admitted 2nd August, died 18th August; G. J. Cone, aged 56, admitted loth August, died 18th August; P. York, aged 30, admitted 6th August, died 18th August. Concerning " Dr." Lamb, alias Gordon, who on the 6th instant pleaded guilty at the Police Court, Thargominuah, to a charge of obtaining money by means of a valueless cheque in Decem- ber 1886, and who was believed by some persons to be identical with the bushranger Pearson, a correspondent says:—Having obtained the necessary permission from the local authorities I visited Dr. Lamb on several occasions with a view of ascertaining what he himself had to say on the subiact. I showed him the various articles which had appeared in different papers with reference to his antecedents at the time of his arrest at Banana. When asked to disclose his identity he replied: "Who or what I am matters not; but I can assure you that I am neither Pearson, nor Moonlight, nor Gordon, nor Starlight, as these different papers assert." Baring his arms and shoulders he said: " According to the descriptions of Pear- son shown to me by you, that person has two bullet-marks on his left arm. Now, I have no such marks on either arm. Again, Pearson's tattooes and mine do not correspond. Pearson was tattoed on the chest; I am only tattooed on the arms, as you can see for yourself." Indeed, his chest was unmarked, while his arms were decorated in a most artistic manner. On the left arm is the harp of Erin, with a Gaelic motto ; and on the right are the arms of America, surmounted by the double-headed eagle of Mexico. Whoever " Doctor" Lamb may be, it is certain that, by birth and educa- tion, he ranks above the majority of his followmen, and it is a matter deeply to be regretted that he did not put his talents to better use than he has done.
I The body- of the seaman Fillipo Corsiglia, who fell off the cutter Esthera in the Albert River and was drowned on the 7th instant, hai been recovered. The following persons died in the Woogaroo Aaylum last week :—Catherine Farrell, aged 81 years, of senile decay ; John Murphy, late ol Dulacca, aged 52 years, of inflammation of the lungs ; James Avery, lute of Toowoomba, aged 44 years, of pneumonia ; John William Allen, of Dunwich, aged 71 yeara, of inflammation of the lungs. A nioetisg1 "K-na held in the Melbourne Town Hall the other day to consider the establish ment of a Foundling Hospital. Dr. Youl, the city coroner, stated that his experience convinced him that from sixty to seventy persons com mitted murder every year and were not doteoted. A committee was appointed to formulate a scheme and report to a future meeting. Mr. J. Holmea's new hotel at Ballard's Camp, noar Toowoomba, will be opened on the Ist October. The Blue Mountain Hotel is situate on tho Southern and Western line, about ninety*four miles from Brisbane, and being at an elevation of 3000 ft. above sea level the climate is most invigorating, and offers to those seeking a change all that can be desired by them. Messrs. James R. Diokson and Co., acting under instructions from the trustees of the late Mrs. Mary Feattie, offered for sale on Mon day a block of Queen-street property situate between Messrs. Stewart and Hemmant's and Kingsford's buildings. There was a large attendance and competition was brisk. The frontage to Queen-street is 55.jft. and realised £600 a foot, or a total of £33,300, at which price it was knocked down to Mr. W. H. Kent. The formal ceremony of laying five founda tion stones of the new Wesleyan Church, corner of Albert and Ann-streets, Brisbane, was per formed on Saturday afternoon by Mr. L. M. Turner (on behalf of his father, the Hon. J. S, Turner, M.L.C.), the Hon. F. T. Brcntnall, M.L.C., tho Hon. A. Rutledge, M.L.A., Mr. R. Edwards, J.P., and Mr. C. M. Foster, J.P., caoh of whom was presonted with a silver trowel and a mallet mounted with silver. Pre vious to the ceremony a religious service was held in the temporary church, when addresses were given by the Revs. J. A. Nolan, H. Youngman (pastor of the congregation), and the Hon. Mr. Turner. A collection was made in aid of the building fund, and the cash amounted to £55 Ids. Gd., while £1150 was promised. The General Post Office building in Queen street was lighted up on Monday evening for the first time by electricity, the contractors, Messrs. Barton, White, and Co., whose offices are situated in Elizabeth-street at the rear of the Government premises, having completed their arrangements for starting work. The lighting was confined to the ground floor, where the despatching and receiving rooms, the letter carriers' department, the delivery windows, and tho private boxes are situated. In this large hall thirty-two of tho fifty volt Swan lamps bavo been placed, each being of about 16-candle power, and the light given was fairly satisfactory as a whole, though in some places the great height at which the lamps were hung was somewhat of a drawback. The machinery is situated in a largo shed on the contractors' premises. This shed measures 40ft. by 15ft. A 100-light Victoria brush dynamo and a 12-horse power Brown and May engine were in use, and the firm in tend at no distant date to offer the electric light as well as motive power to other buildings in the vicinity. In view of the threatened coal famine in the Southern colonies owing to the strike of the coal miners at Newcastle, we have caused some inquiries to be made as to what assistance could be rendered to the neighbouring colonies by the Queensland colliery proprietors should the necessity arise. We are informed on reliable authority that if the proprietors of the various coal mines were to combine they would be able, after providing for all local requirements, to Bupply from 14,000 to 15,000 tons of coal Jer month for export, and this without working ouble shifts. The southern mines of New South Wales are not likely to be affected by the strike, and, with what they are capable of turning out, it is thought by those who are in a position fcj form some estimate that there will be sufficient coal to keep all the colonies supplied with what is needed for household and manufacturing purposes. The facilities for providing the shipping with coal in Brisbane now are far in advance of the primitive means formerly employed. Within the last twelve months the railway wharves at River-terrace, where coals aro shipped, have been considerably extended, while the depth of water along their frontage is sufficient for the largest vessels trading here. There are now no less than five exceedingly powerful steam cranes erected on them, each of which is capable of lifting over a vessel's side from 500 to 600 tons of coal per day. At present there are only two men to work the five cranes, but that is a matter which could be easily rectified Bhould the demand for more coal warrant it. Another advantage in favour of this port for supplying coala at short notice is that there are now in Brisbane several large hulks specially adapted for storing thousands of toss of the minoral should the necessity arise. One of them especially, the Maida, is provided with appliances by which coals stowed in her could be very rapidly transferred to another vessel. These remarks apply solely to the coal available from the West Moreton fields ; but during last year no less than 45,527 tons of coal were produced in the Wide Bay District.